Road to Revival
by LivingInTheFantasy
Summary: Bella Swan, unable to redeem herself from a traumatic experience, struggles everyday to get back on her feet. Her best friends, Jasper and Alice, resort to one last attempt to help her by forcing her to come along on a skiing trip. Will she continue to carry the burden on her shoulders, or allow a green-eyed asshole to lure her out of her dark shell? AH ExB
1. Chapter 1- Insistence

_**I wrote a story similar to this once before, but I eventually slipped away from it. Only posted three chapters and lost the inspiration for it. Hopefully with this one, my muse stays strong. **_

_**-Naz**_

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I pulled the turtleneck tighter against my body. I tried harder to shut my eyes and go back to the blissful nap I was taking. But my body jolted as the van went over a huge bump. My eyes fluttered open and I inwardly groaned as I realized I couldn't go back to my nap. The nap I had was the only thing that allowed me to avoid a conversation with my best friend.

I nose wrinkled once again as my senses came across the musky scent of the van. I really have a difficult time getting used to it. It smelled like old cheese stuffed into an old shoe. I rubbed my eyes and shifted my eyes towards the front of my car. My best friend, Alice, was laughing away. I always envied her for her laughter for they sounded like chimes. She was sitting in the passenger seat, laughing at what her boyfriend, who also happens to me by best friend Jasper, said. With his shaggy blonde hair, I could still sense him laughing as his shoulder shook.

Alice looked at him with this special twinkle in her bright blue eyes. She graced a beautiful smile on her perfectly straight teeth which complimented her porcelain skin. She was extremely petite, standing at exactly five feet. With jet black hair and cropped hair, she was beautiful in her own way.

In a way, she was kind of the opposite of Jasper. He had blonde hair with sun-kissed tan skin. He was six feet tall and towered over Alice when they were together. While Alice was the loud, boisterous and extremely friendly girl to any stranger, Jasper was more quiet and subtle to his approach. However he was different when you got to know them.

As I leaned away from the window, I suddenly realized I was stuffed underneath a light blanket. I rubbed my eyes and settled on going back to sleep again. As soon as I pulled the blanket closer to my body, I heard my name slip from their lips.

"Do you really think Bella will enjoy herself?" Jasper whispered. I rolled my eyes. I could obviously still hear him.

"Why are you even whispering? She's fast asleep." I could sense Alice turn around.

"I don't know. I just don't feel comfortable forcing her to come along somewhere she never wanted to go in the first place." Jasper cleared his throat. "To be honest, I don't feel comfortable around her cause we're like strangers."

I slightly cringed at his words. I can't deny they stung, mainly because he was right. I estranged myself from many people. Jasper, who was my best friend before Alice, included.

"Come on, Jasper. That's not fair," Alice protested.

"Look Alice, I've known her since I was fourteen. I have never felt like this with her. Ever." He took a deep breath. "It just sucks to feel like you lost someone that resembled a sister."

And suddenly, I wish I was back in my dorm, listening to music at a deafening volume to blare out the sounds of the outside.

Alice scoffed. "You don't think it sucks for me too?" I can imagine Alice shaking her head. "But you have to be patient. Sometimes even give her a little push. I miss my best friend just as much as you miss yours. Give it a little time."

I deeply swallowed and couldn't help the tears that approached my eyes. To hear Alice defend me like this, I knew I didn't deserve it. I wanted to tell her I was too mangled to be fixed so quickly. I was an unmanageable mess. Jasper was the realist while Alice was the dreamer. But despite everything, I just wanted something to stop the dull the pain in my chest. Anything.

I closed my eyes even harder and attempted my best to blare out their words. I really didn't want to be in this stupid van, in the middle of god knows fucking where. I'd rather be in my dorm in solitude.

Sooner or later, I felt myself slowly succumb to sleep. Right before I did, I heard Alice speak three words.

I have hope.

-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-

"Bella. Bella. BELLA."

I groaned as I opened my eyes. My vision went from blurry to clear as I came across Alice's bright blue eyes. She was looking at me with a wide smile.

"We're at their hotel. You hungry?" She was sounding awfully cheerful. I stretched my limbs and rubbed my eyes. I groggily looked at her for a few seconds until I felt like I gained full consciousness.

"No, I'm fine." My voice sounded a little scratchy. I shivered as I felt the cold air from outside seep in through the open door.

"Oh crap. Listen I gotta use the restroom. Take your time to come inside and I'll meet you in the lobby." Alice zipped up her jacket and put on her hat before rushing out into the snow. I couldn't help but smile as I watched her tiny legs trudge through the white blanket.

I slipped out of the blanket and leaned towards the backseat to get my jacket. I zipped myself up and put on my gloves and hat. I stared at the hotel long and hard with a grim smile. I'm never eager to meet new people, with the required pleasantries and greetings.

But I already knew Rosalie, Jasper's older sister, who supposedly invited us over for this ski trip that her boyfriend set up for us. Rosalie, like Jasper, had blonde hair and shared many of his features. Back in Seattle when I was growing up, I remember noticing how beautiful and confident she was. With icy blue eyes and the straight nose, she always gave off that intimidating vibe. She knew how Jasper and I were best friends in high school, and took the time tell me once that she liked me better than the other girls. Other girls as in Jasper's girlfriends. Other than that, she has always been persistent to give me the cold shoulder.

Apparently, her boyfriend has an uncle who owns a huge ski resort in British Columbia. His uncle raised him and since he had the proper hookups, everything would be provided to us for free. I'm just grateful its only one person I have to make introductions to.

I opened the gritty door on the van and whimpered at the instant contact against the brisk cold air. I trudged along the two foot snow until I finally approached the entrance. Shaking off the snow, I sighed as the warm heated air hugged my form once I walked through the entrance.

The inside of the lobby was beautiful, filled with more people than I imagined. People were running around with their luggage, talking incessantly into their phones. My lucky guess were canceled flights from the snow storm.

I saw Alice sitting at the other side of the room, wedged between a frustrated mother with a crying baby and an old man with a bad cold. Alice was too distracted by her phone to notice. As I walked towards her, she looked up and smiled.

"Hey you're finally here," she paused to put her phone away. "Everyone is at the café having hot chocolate. I was just waiting for you."

I felt myself slowly frown. "You didn't have to Alice, could've just texted me."

Alice rolled her eyes and stood up. She linked her arm with mine and smiled wide. "It's fine. You're my best friend."

I felt myself hesitate. "Yeah," was my lame response.

"Come on." Alice pulled me through crowds of people until we reached a dim lighted café, lit by twinkling lights. It had mini-pine trees adorned in every corner and only few people seated in tables.

We approached a table at a corner, which was the most secluded within the room. As we neared, I noticed Jasper laughing with his head laid back. Next to him was Rosalie, wearing an authentic smile that flashed her white teeth and ruby lips. Her hand rested on a huge muscular guy next to her, with deep dimples and dark hair. Like Rosalie, he had a perfect smile but laughed so loud that it caught the eye of a few people around him. Rosalie smacked him on the arm for being too loud but couldn't hide the smile on her lips.

Jasper stopped laughing long enough to notice us and his eyes softened as it rested on Alice. "Hey, allow me to introduce you guys." He stood up from his seat and embraced Alice into a hug. "Emmett, this is Alice my girlfriend," he paused to give her a kiss on the forehead, "and this is Bella, our best friend." He gestured towards me.

Alice smiled. "Nice to meet you. Congratulations on the engagement!" I nodded my head and said the same. "Congratulations."

"And guys, this is Emmett. Rosalie's boyfriend. The loud and obnoxious one." He gestured towards Emmett and gave him a light punch on the arm.

Emmett barked out a huge laugh and by instinct, I jumped. He noticed of course and gave me a smug smile. "Sorry Bella, didn't mean to scare ya little thing. And Thanks."

Rosalie smacked him on the arm. "See, I told you that you laugh like a hyena. Lower your voice you gorilla." Rosalie turned to look at us. She beamed. "Thanks." She lifted her hand to unveil the gorgeous ring on her finger.

Rosalie's eyes shifted towards me. "It's been a while since I've seen you."

I smiled. "Yeah it has. Like four years."

Emmett frowned. "Wait you guys know each other from before? But I thought you met Alice two years ago at Thanksgiving with the family."

Alice giggled. "Bella and Jasper have been good friends since way back. I became best friends with Bella at UDub and she introduced me to Jasper. Rest is history."

Emmett stared at the ceiling for a few seconds, until the gears in his head started shifting. "OHHH!" he loudly replied. He displayed his dimples as he smiled wide. "That's pretty fucking awesome!"

Rosalie's icy blue eyes flared at Emmett. "Can you lower your voice? There are kids in here."

Emmett gave her an apologetic smile, flashing his dimples. "Sorry baby." I watched as Rosalie's eyes softened. Emmett turned his body to face Jasper. "So what's my main man Jazz up to?"

"Nothing really, just majoring at engineering. So how's the wedding planning going?"

Emmett cringed. "It's been going alright you can say. NFL's drafting season is around the same time, so it's been pretty hectic."

The conversation between Emmett and Jasper continued, while Rosalie and Alice were chatting about wedding dresses. I felt myself slump a little and stare at my iPhone. I estranged myself from a lot of people, because I realized I had no one to text. Jessica, Mike, Angela, and etc. were all unread texts from months ago. Soon enough, they just stopped trying. Jacob's text message was all the way at the bottom, and I felt myself cringe.

"What the fuck!" I snapped out of my trance to look at the source. First thing I saw was a head of messy bronze hair, with a frown. He was stalking into the café, and looked around the room frantically. Once his eyes rest on our table, he began to stalk towards us.

As he approached I got a better look at him. He had emerald eyes, with a straight nose. His lashes were practically longer than mine, complimenting his high cheekbones. My focus reverted to his body, which was tall and lean like a swimmer's body. His black sweater hugged his muscles and complimented his pale complexion. He was beautiful.

He approached Emmett and looked like he was fuming. "Every fucking flight to Chicago is cancelled."

Emmett's playful posture turned rigid. He rolled his eyes. "I don't know man, reschedule the next flight. Not the end of the world."

"Every flight is canceled for the next week," the stranger gritted through his teeth. "Mother fucking nature kicked in and decided on a huge snowstorm over there."

Emmett scoffed. "Okay, and it's my fault how?"

The stranger glared. "You made me miss my last flight, that's fucking how." Emmett was about to open his mouth and I sensed a huge fight about to abrupt.

Rosalie shot out of her seat and came between them. "Jasper, Alice, Bella," she gestured towards the stranger, "this is Edward, Emmett's younger brother."

Edward head shifted towards us, as if he just noticed our presence. His ears were tinged with a deep shade of pink as his eyes shifted over us. I swear I felt his eyes linger on me for a few more seconds. "Sorry," he muttered. He took a deep breath to calm himself down. "So what am I supposed to do for the next week?"

"You can come with us to go skiing!" chirped Alice. Although both brothers were facing different directions, they simultaneously rolled their eyes. For that quick second, I saw the resemblance.

Rosalie smiled wide. "That's a brilliant idea!" She leaned in towards Emmett to mutter for a quick second. I think she said "Good time to bond."

Edward looked at them with a poker face before he spoke up. "Great," he said sarcastically. He turned to leave and began to walk towards the entrance. His foot, however, caught onto the leg of the chair across from me and made him stumble.

His face turned into a light shade of pink from his ungraceful exit. I stifled a laugh and noticed his piercing eyes glare at me. He straightened up and walked away faster from us. I turned to look at everyone to see their reactions.

They were back to what they were doing before Edward came in.


	2. Chapter 2- Accomodations

_**I made a few mistakes on the last chapter and I'm sorry to whoever noticed. The DocManager was acting up and I forgot to save the mistakes I corrected. I'm honestly freelancing this so hope you guys enjoy!**_

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By the time it was three, Jasper decided that it was time for us to hit the road. I didn't even know we were in Bellingham until Jasper mentioned it. Emmett swiftly carried all his luggage and half of Rosalie's in one trip, wearing a smug look the entire time. Jasper, pretty built himself, took one of Rosalie's bag but didn't look where he was going. He slammed into the wall, catching the attention of every guest in the lobby.

Jasper rolled his eyes as he caught Emmett's look, all the while rubbing the huge red mark on his forehead. He rushed into the driver's seat to warm up the engine.

"Gee Jasper," said Rosalie as she looked through the trunk of the van. "You didn't have to get such a luxurious car for us."

"It was the only van the rentals had on such notice!" Jasper said defensively. "Not my fault you didn't tell me we needed one before." Alice approached the car carrying two lattes with an annoyed face. "Anyone want a latte? The stupid guy at the register messed my order up and insisted I just buy another one."

Rosalie jumped to take it. She moaned as she took a sip and suddenly looked around. "Where's Edward?"

Emmett snorted. "Probably taking his time to primp his hair. We'll just have to wait for him to bring his luggage." Emmett closed the backdoor of the van for the moment and approached the door of the van. He took a brief look inside and wrinkled his noses.

"Jesus!" Emmett started gagging, exaggerating slightly. "It smells worse than my jockstrap."

Jasper shot him a disgusted look. "Too much info, Dude. And here, I got thes awesome smelling air refreshers from the hotel. Use this febreze on the seats."

Jasper threw the febreze at Emmett and he caught it in one swift catch. Emmett sprayed way to much because standing a yard away, I could smell the artificial scent. Emmett scrounged his eyebrows together as he took a better look into the interior of the van. "Guys, I'm gonna have to sit in the middle row. I'm wait too big to fit in the back seat." He turned to look at me with apologetic eyes.

I shrugged. "It's fine, I don't mind sitting in the backseat. I'll be listening to music anyways." My guess was that Rosalie would be sitting with him. Regardless, he did make me a little uncomfortable.

Emmett leaned into the van to move a seat forward so I could have access to the backseat. I quickly stepped in, trying my utmost best not to trip or fall on my face. I have this tendency to do so.

I leaned all the way to the left, looking through the small window that accompanied me. I gazed at the mountains that sat afar from we were, topped with blankets of snow. I heard an all too familiar voice curse and my head snapped toward its direction.

Edward looked stressed as he pulled at his hair. He handed Emmett his luggage and cringed when Emmett manhandled it. You could tell by their interaction it was done on purpose. "You're gonna have to sit in the back with Bella unless you'd like to sit with me…" Emmett drifted off only to smirk as Edward quickly seated himself next to me.

I made no movement to look towards his direction, stern to only look out the window beside me. Soon enough everyone was seated and we began to take our jackets off as the van heated.

"Why the fuck does it smell like this Van was dipped in febreze?" Edward muttered to himself.

Emmett heard and chuckled to himself. "Unless you'd prefer the smell of rotten eggs, you should be thankful this is what it smells like."

Edward made a noise of disgust before placing his attention into his Blackberry. His eyes quickly glanced towards me and I felt my face heat up as I blushed. Fuck, I looked at him. I didn't even notice I did. I usually held little to no interest to anything around me. But something about Edward had me reeling towards him.

We pulled onto the road and there was normal chatter going on between the people upfront. Ten minutes in, Edward started speaking again. "Wait, I didn't bring any proper clothing for skiing. What the fuck am I supposed to do then?"

Emmett let out a deep breath. "I'm sure Carlisle has some clothing there at a gift shop or something. It is called a _Ski Lodge" _Emmett made sure to emphasize on the words Ski Lodge, just to make his point.

Edward returned to silent mode as he continued to incessantly type away at his phone. There was obviously tension between these two brothers and god knows what happened to be the cause of it.

I slipped my headphones on and played Artic Monkey's playlist on my phone. I rested my head against the window pane and closed my eyes, focusing on music to keep me occupied throughout the trip. Listening to Alex Turner's voice somehow relaxed me and eventually I dozed off.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

I shifted my body to put myself in a more comfortable position, but my pillow was strangely hard. I clutched it tighter against me, but felt what seemed like rocks underneath the pillow cover. I suddenly felt a rough hand rub my stomach through a shirt and I shot towards my side of the car.

Staring at Edward with wide open eyes, hoping by some miracle that he was sleeping too. I let out a sigh of relief as I noticed his closed eyes. His head was cocked towards the window by his side, with his closed eyes showcased by his long lashes. I felt a little jealous that someone could look so peaceful during their sleep. For some reason, my entire waist was tingling from where his arm was before.

Looking towards the front of the car, Rosalie was leaning her head against Emmett's shoulder. Both of them were preoccupied with their phones. Alice was chattering away with Jasper, whose eyes were set on the road. Looking out the window, I noticed how everything was pitch dark.

I glanced at Edward once more, cringing at the idea of an awkward situation if he were to know I was sleeping against his shoulder. I must have subconsciously cuddled up to him when I was sleeping.

I paused as I looked at his shirt in horror. There was this humongous drool stain from where I was leaning my head against his shoulder. I felt my face completely heat up from embarrassment. Should I wipe it off or something?

Edward started stirring and I realized I was at a much closer proximity to him than I'd feel comfortable to be. I promptly shifted away as quickly as possible, picking up my phone and headphones from the floor of the van. Slipping my headphones in and acting completely oblivious, I watched as Edward stretched in my peripheral view.

Good god why do I keep embarrassing myself around him?

An hour later, we finally reached our destination. My eyes widened as I suddenly felt intimidated by the size of the ski resort. From a distance you could see the shadows of the chairlifts hanging in the sky,with few cabins and buildings scattered across the land. We officially took a turn into the resort itself and I was suddenly engrossed into the beautiful scenery. Since Christmas was around the corner, there were twinkling lights across every cabin and the rustic features of the cabins somehow made it feel like the holidays were here.

We drove through the street that eventually led to a big building, which sat before a thirty-feet pine tree adorned in Christmas lights. I know I didn't want to come but for that quick second, I was glad Alice forced me to be hear. It reminded me of the Christmas tree I'd have with the family back at home. Emmett retrieved the Cabin House number and key that was reserved for us, and gave the directions to our given cabin.

When we finally arrived, my mouth shot wide open. My stereotypical idea of a cabin was nothing compared to this. This had two stories, with a very contemporary style. I think the house was made up of more windows than wood. The lights were already on inside, and you could see the chandelier hanging off the ceiling at the dining room inside.

"Hello, this is Jasper Hale speaking." Jasper held an imaginary microphone near his mouth, speaking like a tourist guide. "We have finally arrived at the Cullen's Ski Resort after driving for a period of five and a half hours. You may now start leaving the vehicle."

"Thank god," moaned Rosalie. "I need to stretch."

Everyone left the car through their car doors, leaving me and Edward stuck in the third row. Edward was struggling with the handle on the seat that would allow us to leave. His eyebrows wrinkled together as he kept on struggling.

"Old piece of shit," he muttered. I looked out the window, hoping somehow either Emmett or Jasper would help out. But everyone was too eager and was already taking inventory of the interior of the cabin.

I hesitated but I finally spoke up. "Would you like me to open it?" Edward's head shot in my direction and looked at me for a few seconds before nodding. I leaned over him to push forward the handle until I heard the click, meaning I could push the car seat into the floor of the car. I couldn't help but savor the agreeable smell of his cologne. I was about to lean back to let him leave, but opted on leaving before him since I was already leaning forward.

Edward followed but quickly zoomed into the house. I was left alone outside, and opted to get a head start to get the luggage inside. Emmett and Jasper eventually came out, refusing to accept my help and carried everything inside. I noticed how Edward didn't help. Asshole.

With everything brought inside, I couldn't help but notice how welcoming this cabin was. I went up the stairs to check out the rooms, seeing how Emmett, Rosalie, Alice and Jasper already chose their rooms. Two of the rooms has a Queens sized bed, except for one with two twin sized ones that had the biggest room of all three. The Queen sized would be for the couples, meaning the one with the twin beds would be for me and…

Suddenly, I was horrified at the thought of sharing a room with Edward. Standing at its entrance, I couldn't help the frown on my face.

"Sorry you have to share a bedroom with him." I jumped and looked to my side. Emmett just gave me a wide smile. "I asked if we could have the four-room cabin but since it's holiday season, everything is booked. So I already organized for another bed in this room for Edward. Do you mind?"

Of course I minded. The guy was all stand-offish and gave this vibe like he despised me. I know I didn't want to come along, but he was being more of an asshole about it. But I didn't say any of that.

"Nah, its fine." Not sure if I made a face but Emmett somehow knew what I was thinking. "I know my brother can act like a big dickhead, but he's not that bad. If he acts up, you can always just tell me."

Alice popped up beside him and frowned when she took notice of the two beds. She knew these living conditions weren't exactly suitable for me.

"Hey Bella, I could share the room with you. I'm sure Jasper wouldn't mind rooming with Edward." She gave me a worried look, begging with her eyes for me to tell her the truth. I obviously preferred her over Edward, but I wasn't gonna allow myself to interfere on their vacation time.

I gave her a timid smile. "Nah it's no problem. I'm fine with this." Alice continued looking at me. Emmett walked into the room and placed my luggage on the bed nearest to the door.

"You sure." Her blue eyes were gaging my reaction. I know she was looking out for me but now, I was just irritated. "I'm fine," I said sternly. Rosalie called for Emmett and he left to go to her. Alice leaned in towards me.

"Did you bring your medication?" she whispered. I clenched my jaw to mute myself from spewing out any words I would regret. I assured myself, she's just watching out for you. But this is one of the reasons why I didn't want to come. I didn't want her and Jasper to watch over me like a little child. I knew somehow I'd be some sort of extra responsibility to them.

I took a deep breath. "Yes, Alice. Don't worry, I brought it." Alice gave me an apologetic smile.

"You wanna come with all of us? We're gonna walk around the trails and check out the stores. We might meet up with Emmett's uncle."

"I'm not really in the mood to be honest." I glanced towards my luggage. "I'll use this time to get a head start on unpacking."

Alice gave me a reluctant smile before heading down the stairs. I went to the bathroom inside my room to check my reflection. The dark circles underneath my eyes were less dark than they were this morning. I'm guessing those naps helped. I have trouble sleeping sometimes and last night was one of those nights where insomnia kicked in. I frowned at my pale complexion. I looked like I never saw sunlight in my life.

I heard the door downstairs slam close and I sighed. I was finally to myself. I left the bathroom to retrieve my pajamas, which were only tanks and boy shorts. I didn't know I'd have a roomie, so I left all my flannels back to pack light. I looked towards one side of the room, which was completely all window. I took a closer look, and saw how you can basically see most of the entire resort. Our cabin was the highest on the hill.

Touching my body, I realized I desperately needed a shower to get the grime of all day off my body. When I felt the warm water against my body, I couldn't help the moan that left my lips. Once I was done, I was looking around for my clothing, groaning when I realized I left it on my bed. Wrapping myself in a towel, I opened the bathroom door.

I slammed straight into a hard body, about to fall back when I felt an arm around my waist. I quickly moved away, uncomfortable with physical contact. I looked up and stared in shock straight into confused green eyes.

Edward had a look of surprise but quickly recovered as he adorned a smirk. His eyes skimmed over my appearance.

"I-I thought everyone left. Y-you went with them." I clutched the towel against my body, refusing to allow any chance for it to fall. I couldn't help the blush I felt coming.

"Well, I obviously didn't," he said sarcastically.

I kept glancing between the pile of clothing on my bed and him. He was clearly blocking the way and I had no idea how I'd go fetch it.

Edward's line of vision followed mine, and he rolled his eyes. He walked towards my bed and grabbed the neatly folded clothes. As he walked back, I took notice of how he struggled to keep his eyes on mine rather than my form. He leaned at a proximity beyond my comfort zone and grabbed my hand.

"Here you go," he whispered into my ear as he placed the clothing into my hand. I felt his warm breath against my shoulder and suddenly, I had goose bumps. I pulled away and looked at his mischievous green eyes before I rushed into the bathroom, locking the door behind me.

I leaned my back against the door, breathless and heaving. What the fuck just happened? I pressed my ear close to the door, only to hear shuffling and walking. I could probably wait until he leaves. But fuck, what if he wanted to take a shower.

With a groan, I slid to the ground. I am not good at dealing with awkward situations. How would I survive if I'd have to withstand this for a week?

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_**I hate character development. Why can't I just get to the good part?**_

_**-Naz **_


	3. Chapter 3- Persistence

**_Over two hundred readers, yet hardly reviews? Come on guys_**

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Just as I was about to get dressed, I blushed a deep scarlet. My bra was right at the very top of the pile of clothing Edward handed me. Can embarrassing myself around this guy be considered a hobby?

Might as well deal with this already.

As soon as I opened the door, I skimmed the room for Edward. I couldn't help the sigh of relief that left me when I noticed he wasn't in the room. Maybe he left the house?

I heard noises coming from the kitchen downstairs and couldn't help the eye roll. I shouldn't be so hopeful. I took this opportunity to start unpacking. Coincidentally, there were a dresser for each of us as well as a closet. I was quick to unpack everything, since I packed light. I was seriously wondering how long it would take Alice. The girl brought five suitcases.

One of the last few things I unpacked was my Kindle. I downloaded a bunch of books for the trip, because I knew fully well that I wouldn't be skiing. I was born with two left feet and had a tendency to trip over air. Unless I'd be comfortable with broken limbs, staying at the cabin did me just fine.

I noticed the floor-length curtains at one corner of our room. It was weird because our entire house was practically glass yet none of them had curtains. I took a peak through one of them, and gasped. It was a balcony that overlooked the snow-glazed mountains. Above them were many twinkling stars, glowing alongside the sparkly white blankets against the bright moon. There were a few chairs on the balcony and I was so tempted to just go outside and read. But I wasn't exactly in the mood for hypothermia.

Stepping away, I realized how heavy my eyes felt. I was still tired from my insomniac tendencies from the past nights.

"We're home!" chimed Alice. "And we brought sandwiches for dinner."

I felt my stomach grumble instantly at her words. I completely forgot about eating. I quickly tossed on a tee-shirt and jeans and headed downstairs.

All the guys were seated at the dining table, except for Alice and Rosalie. They were setting everything up. Alice noticed me and groaned to herself. "Ugh, I could really use a shower."

We all were quickly seated and digging into our food. I was seated right across from Edward, and refused to look anywhere in his direction. When we were done, Edward and I had cleaning duties since we stayed behind. The others headed up to take a shower. While I was willing to clean up, Edward was more reluctant as he started to mumble to himself.

"Shit… Hate cleaning…what the fuck…"

I ignored his annoying muttering while continuing to do the dishes. Edward was in charge of wiping down the table. He had the easier and quicker job so I had no idea what he was mumbling about.

Right when I was down to scrubbing the last dish, I felt him hovering behind me. I glanced at him, to see him awkwardly shifting his weight from one leg to another. "So, do you need anything else?" he muttered.

I set the last dish on the pile and turned to reply. "No, I'm d-"

Unaware of the tiny puddle that formed below me, I felt my feet slide against the ground. My body propelled itself towards the marble counter beside me, and I closed my eyes as I prepared myself for impact. But I never felt the ground.

I opened my eyes to see a pair of arms wrapped around me.

I felt my head turn, to be met by a pair of worried green eyes. His eyebrows were furrowed, subconsciously communicating with me if I was alright. I was too shocked to comprehend, confused by what just happened. Then I realized I was confined in a tight space, between his body and the counter. The normal breaths I was taking weren't enough to give my lungs the proper air and I started to panic. I was feeling claustrophobic.

Edward noticed my state of discomfort and pushed away from me, as if suddenly I disgusted him. Too focused on normalizing my breathing, I was too distracted to notice him pull at his strands of hair from his head.

Once I felt my vision cleared up, I finally noticed that I was alone in the kitchen.

::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::

I was snuggled up in my bed, distracting myself on my Kindle as I heard Edward take a shower in our bathroom. I took a while to come upstairs and couldn't be much gladder when I saw he was taking a shower. I'm pretty sure he was a little freaked by what happened downstairs and don't blame him myself.

I have a pretty bad case of claustrophobia and I'm just thankful he didn't see me have a full blown panic attack. But mainly, I was just concerned with the fact I'd have to share a room with him. God, why can't I have my own room.

The water stopped and I sat up straighter in my bed, to intently focused on reading what seemed like just words. The door opened and a fresh wave of steam came out. I glanced upwards, and completely stalled my movements.

Edward was shirtless in just a towel. The lean body I could make out through his clothing was nothing compared to seeing the toned muscles in sight. He clutched a towel around his waist, making his way towards the opposite side of the room. I watched as droplets from his wet hair slid down his back, maneuvering its way through the contours of his skin.

I looked away before he could see me staring, but I swore I saw a smirk on his face. He grabbed a pile of clothes and headed back into the bathroom.

The last time I remember being able to see a muscular torso… I closed my eyes as I try to steer away from the looming thoughts. Everything was a freaking trigger to bring me back to those thoughts. The possibility of living with such a wrecked mind scared me intensely.

Edward leave the bathroom in a pair of flannels and a wifebeater. The smell of his freshly taken shower permeated throughout the room.

I was in an inner-conflict to apologize to him about happened downstairs and thank him for saving me from another bruise. But I also just wanted to turn to my side and fall asleep, ignoring the definite presence of another person in my room.

But of course my conscious didn't allow me to take the latter.

"Hey, um…" I started. Edward, with his back faced towards me, continued to rifle through his items as he unpacked one of his suitcases. "I'm sorry I reacted like that downstairs. I'm really claustrophobic and I start to panic when I'm in tight spaces."

I was still staring at his back as he continued to do whatever he was doing. "But…um thanks for not letting me fall."

He scoffed. "Don't mention it," he said sarcastically. Usually, I would ignore a remark like that but something inside me was ticked off.

"Excuse me?"

He turned his body slightly in my direction. "Nothing, just glad to be there for a klutz."

The strange thing about me is I've been so used to being numb. I ignored my surroundings and would always hover in my inner bubble. If someone rudely pushed against me, or say threw me an insult, I'd wordlessly continue on with my way and ignore whatever just happened.

But something about this guy made me responsive.

I scoffed as well. "Well, no one asked you to do anything for this 'klutz.'" Who was this guy to feel all high and mighty just for doing one thing?

Edward finally turned towards me. He crossed his arms, smirking. "Well, I didn't want to give my uncle a disfavor by letting you break his kitchen so…"

I pushed the blankets off my body and got up. "Oh please, like no one saw you stumble as you tried to make a dramatic exit from your angry episode."

His smirk fell but he recovered quickly. "I'm not complaining. I kind of enjoyed the feel of your body." I felt my face reach a deep shade of red, only encouraging him further. He started walking closer to me. "Don't pull the claustrophobic card. I know I made you a little breathless."

"Or maybe I was a little grossed out to have a perv near me." I spat at him.

"Oh really?" he raised his eyebrow challengingly.

I crossed my arms. "Yes."

I suddenly noticed he was less than a feet away from me, and his smile widened like a Cheshire cat as his green eyes beamed. He leaned in closer, and I felt his lips graze the outer shell of my ear. "Well then maybe…"

My breath hitched at his close proximity.

"…you shouldn't cross your arms like that. Although I do enjoy the little lift." He pulled away smiling ear from ear as he went back towards his side of the room.

I looked down and blushed twenty shades of red as I realized my attire. I was only wearing a tank top and shorts, and my boobs were practically popping out of them with my arms crossed. I dropped my arms immediately and glared at his head of bronze hair. I was seething.

Not only at him but myself. He loved my reaction but not only that, it stroked his enormous ego. I'm not even gonna bother with this idiot.

I took off my reading glasses and placed it on my Kindle as I set it aside. I peered over my shoulder to make sure he wasn't looking. I slipped my hand into my bag and pulled out my prescription bottle. I quickly swallowed a pill and washed it down with the water bottle nearby.

I turned around to check once more. His back was still facing me.

I turned off the lamp beside me and cozied into the covers. Facing away from him, I closed my eyes. Like hell I'd wake up to see that green-eyed asshole.

::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-

I shot up in my bed, clutching my heart. I was momentarily confused, until I realized I was at the ski lodge. The room was dark, except for the moonlight peering in through the curtains of the balcony.

I looked down to see that the covers were kicked off the bed. Touching my head, I was drenched in sweat.

I must've had a nightmare. Trying to reflect on what it was, I couldn't even remember. My fingers were trembling and I took deep breaths to calm my heart down. I heard a light snore and my head shot in its direction.

Even though it was dark, I could make out Edward sleeping in his bed. I almost forgot he was even in the room. Then I remembered what he said last night and I started my temper begin to rise. I'm not getting worked up over him.

I took my hand and placed it in front of my heart. I started taking a few more breaths until I felt my heart rate begin to gradually slow down. My head felt really heavy and my body was still exhausted. Grabbing the covers, I laid my head down once more to fall into slumber.

::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-

I stretched my limbs and opened my eyes. The light had peered through the windows, illuminating the room. I groggily got out of bed, grabbing some clothing so I could change after I took a shower. Glancing to my right, I saw that his bed was empty.

Cleaned up and dressed, I made my way downstairs. Alice was happily making pancakes while Jasper and  
Emmett were greedily chewing up whatever they can.

"Bella, you're awake!" Alice moved away from the counter to reveal her apron, which said 'The Grillfather'. Jasper and Emmett promptly turned to give me a glance, with their mouths stuffed to the max with pancakes. I grabbed a plate of pancakes and sat next to them.

Edward came waltzing in through the dining room, with a smug look plastered on his face. He pocketed his phone into his pockets and grabbed a plate of pancakes. He glanced at us sitting at the table and weirdly smirked. He slowly slid into the chair across from me, keeping his eyes on me the entire time.

I made sure to keep my eyes on my plate.

"Where's Rose?" asked Emmett through a mouthful of pancakes.

Jasper grimaced. "Close your mouth bro, no one wants to see all that in your mouth." Emmett opened his mouth wider just to tease him.

"She's getting everything ready to go skiing," said Alice. She paused before continuing. "You wanna come Bells?"

My head shot up at the sound of my name. I glanced at Edward who was openly staring at me before looking at Alice. "Not really," I said to her. "Don't want another set of broken bones." I muttered to myself.

Edward chuckled. "I second that."

I looked up to glare at him. "Yeah, well no one gives a shit."

Emmett sputtered next to me before bursting out into a boom of laughter. "Oh shit, little quiet Bella got some balls." He continued laughing.

Jasper just stared at me shocked, presenting a mouthful of pancakes. Alice eyes were like saucers as she froze, holding a spatula in mid-air.

"Yo Jasper, how are you gonna grill me for an open mouth? Close that shit."

The weird vibe in the air dispersed at Emmett's remark, but I saw Edward smirking at me. I suddenly felt something slowly creep up my left leg. I jumped and I noticed the idiot in front of me beam. I kicked Edward hard in the shin, smirking at myself as he winced.

Emmett shot up from his seat, taking his empty plate with him. "Shit, it's 9:45. Rosalie, hurry up! We have fifteen minutes to meet up with our instructor."

"I'm ready, I'm ready." Rosalie came downstairs holding a two pairs of skis, a book bag in the other arm, and all the while wearing a big poofy jacket.

"You look like you're getting ready for the storm in The Day after Tomorrow." Edward remarked.

"Shut the fuck up," Rosalie retorted. The others got ready, except for Edward, and headed out the door without a second glance.

As soon as the door closed, I frowned. I didn't anticipate staying back with Edward, alone. But he wasted no time as he shot up the stairs. Can't say I'm complaining.

I ventured out towards past the kitchen since I never took a proper inventory of the back of the cabin. There was a huge recreation room, with a flat screen TV plastered on the wall. Aside from a few more closets, there was a huge patio with a Jacuzzi seated in the corner. Overlooking a steep hill, there was a gorgeous view of the mountains.

I guess I had nothing to do so I opted for the Jacuzzi.

I reached the top of the stairs and peeked around the corner. The door to our room was open and no sign of Edward. Feeling like the pink panther, I slowly made my way towards the room.

However, Edward was in there, sitting all the way upright in his bed busying himself on his laptop.

He didn't look up once. So I just shoveled through my bags for a bathing suit that Alice probably shoved into my bag. She kept pestering me to bring one since she knew there was an indoor pool. I didn't bring one but knowing Alice, she snuck one in anyways.

And indeed I found it. And I wanted to cry.

It was a two piece navy blue swimsuit, with frillies or lace whatever adorning it. And it was way too small for my liking.

"Gonna model that for me or what?"

I looked up to glare at the idiot. He was staring at the atrocious clothing in my hand with a smirk. I huffed and shoved the flimsy suit under my towel. Just as I was about to march away, his stupid voice piped up.

"Don't be surprised if I join you in there!" He started chuckling even harder when I slammed the door close.

I quickly changed in the tiny bathroom downstairs, leaving the room with a towel wrapped around me. Once I reached the patio, I kept looking around the surrounding areas of the house. The best part about the cabin being on top of this hill was that the other cabins were at a pretty big distance from us.

The outside was extremely cold and I started shivering. As soon as the towel dropped to the ground, I submerged my body in the hot warm water. With the freezing cold outside and the warm temperature of the water, I felt my body hum to the sensation. I placed my headphones in my ears and turned on my iPod to play a random remix.

My fingers toyed with the bubbles forming from the jets and I felt my body begin to gradually relax. Not as relaxed I hoped to be, but still, better than I usually am. I closed my eyes and laid my head back, for what seemed like minutes.

Then my trance was broken.

"Don't mind if I join you."

* * *

**_Don't you just love persistence? _**


End file.
